BB Recruiting

Five Star Recruit Says Kentucky Offer “Meant the World to Me”

Published

4 years ago

April 26, 2022

Compton Magic on Twitter

When you look at the class of 2023 commitments for the Kentucky Wildcats, there is just one name, in-state legacy commit Reed Sheppard. However, since an upset loss to Saint Peter’s, the Kentucky coaching staff has been on the recruiting trail looking to add to that list.

Kentucky’s most recent offer was this Saturday to Andrej Stojakovic, one of the best, if not the best, shooters in the class of 2023, as confirmed by his AAU program, the Compton Magic.

6-7 Andrej Stojakovic @Jesuitsacbball has picked up an offer from Kentucky@AndrejSto2 ✔️ #3SSB
📸 @SCNext @Drizzy_Uu22 @gussarmstead @ShineCann @iJustWill @cameronsalerno1 @NorCalPreps @SacBee_JoeD pic.twitter.com/dDsZqwirlV— Compton Magic (@Compton_Magic) April 24, 2022

The offer comes after John Calipari and Orlando Antigua scouted Stojakovic in Spartanburg this weekend at a stop in the Adidas travel circuit, where Stojackovic currently ranks seventh in scoring at 18.8 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor.

Stojakovic stands 6-foot-6 and 185-pounds, as a top-100 recruit. Offensively, Stojakovic’s biggest strength is his shooting ability, whether that be off the catch or off the dribble, but he is still able to mix it up with his inside game. This combination allows him to fit the mold of the modern-day wing.

With as advanced footwork as anyone in the country and with his size and length, he is able to create separation and get off any shot he wants, when he wants.

Defensively, Stojakovic has the frame and is athletic enough to guard the post and on the perimeter. With a 6-foot-10 wingspan, he also has shown to be a respectable rim protector and rebounder.

The sharpshooting genes run strong in the Stojakovic family, as Andrej is the son of former three-time NBA All-Star and NBA champion, Peja Stojakovic, one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Kentucky is not the only school taking notice. In just the last month, Stojakovic has received 10 other offers from power five schools including Kansas, Oregon, Florida, and Texas among others. However, the Kentucky offer seemed to carry a little more weight with Stojakovic telling 247 Sports, “it meant the world to me.”

Stojakovic’s full comments: “It [the offer] meant the world to me. Obviously, coach Cal is one of the best coaches of all time, and for him to even notice my game and say the things he said about me was kind of surreal. Traditionally it’s a basketball school, you make it to the tournament every year and you have expectations to win it all and they just go out, compete and play against the best.”

In an interview with Jamie Shaw of On3, Stojakovic talked more about Kentucky

“For a coach like Coach Cal (John Calipari) to notice my game and say what he said about me is surreal. He saw me play on Friday and then called me last night. He talked about how I make the right play and rebound and defend. Sure I can score, but he said he liked the little things I did. I am glad I am even on their radar. It means I am doing something right.”

The best shooter in the country would look pretty good in Kentucky blue.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

Published

2 weeks ago

June 7, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN?

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day.

The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white.

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand.

BB Recruiting

Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

Published

1 month ago

May 18, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.